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Sexually transmitted infections
25.06.2024
Sexually transmitted infections
STIs are becoming more and more widespread. This is due to the early onset of sexual activity and frequent changes of partners.
According to the results of a study of adolescent sexual behavior, the average age of sexual debut is 15-16 years, with 30% of children becoming sexually active before the age of 15.
Social problems such as urbanization, environmental deterioration, pharmacological boom with uncontrolled use of drugs, in particular antibiotics, have a negative impact on the reproductive system, its resistance to infectious environmental factors, and the state of local immunity of the genital tract.
A relationship between the incidence of STIs and inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs was revealed. The development of endometritis, salpingoophoritis, and pelvic peritonitis in 40-70% of cases is associated with STIs.
The most important weapon is the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. A responsible attitude to the selection of sexual partners, and better yet, maintaining chastity before marriage, not only for women, but also for men, reduces the risk of contracting an STI to a minimum. The basic rule of treatment is timely and qualified medical care. No self-medication for STIs is acceptable. You do not develop immunity to STIs, so you will have to be treated after each risky relationship. An indispensable condition is simultaneous treatment of STIs in both partners, otherwise re-infection will occur.
The main STIs include trichomoniasis, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis, chlamydia, genital herpes, papillomatous infection. Syphilis, gonorrhea, AIDS, and viral hepatitis are also transmitted sexually. These infections also have other routes of transmission.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a disease of the urogenital tract caused by a protozoan single-celled parasite. The main route of transmission is sexual, but infection through contact is possible. In recent years, work has appeared indicating the possibility of perinatal transmission of intrauterine infection in 1.1-5% of cases. Estimates of the prevalence of trichomoniasis range from 5-74% in women and 5-29% in men.
The incubation period is from 2 days to 2 months. Main symptoms: itching and pain in the vagina, external genitalia and during urination; copious foamy discharge from the genital tract.
This infection is a risk factor for the development of various gynecological diseases and obstetric complications. Adverse consequences of Trichomonas infection in women include: increased transmission of HIV, development of infertility, asymptomatic pelvic inflammatory disease, increased risk of cervical cancer. Pregnant women with trichomoniasis are more likely to experience premature births and a high percentage of low birth weight babies. This is due to the fact that the causative agent of trichomoniasis is a carrier of other infections.
Ureaplasmosis.
The infection rate in women of reproductive age is approximately 23%. Today, there are two independent types, the clinical significance of which has not been determined. Numerous studies have not proven the absolute pathogenicity of genital ureaplasmas. Most scientists classify ureaplasmas as opportunistic microorganisms. Activation of ureaplasma occurs when immunity decreases, secondary infections occur, stress, etc. The diagnosis of ureaplasmosis is made if the number of microorganisms exceeds the norms acceptable for a healthy person. The incubation period is about a month. It manifests itself with minor symptoms, and often does not appear at all (especially in women).
Mycoplasmosis
This infection is one of the causes of post-gonorrhea infections. In more than 50%, mycoplasma is associated with gonococcus. The genus of microorganisms includes more than 40 species, some of which are pathogenic for humans. The prevalence is high; mycoplasmas were detected in 50-56% of women with inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary organs. The incubation period is 15-20 days. Clinical manifestations are not typical and differ little from signs of inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary organs of other etiologies. It is characterized by a high frequency of complications and significant resistance to treatment. This infection is especially dangerous for a pregnant woman. Can cause miscarriage, congenital malformation in the fetus, intrauterine infection of the fetus, death of the fetus and newborn.
Chlamydia
One of the most common STIs. Currently, from 500 thousand to 1 million people suffer from urogenital chlamydia in different countries of the world. In the structure of morbidity, gynecological pathology accounts for 30%.
The incubation period ranges from 5 to 30 days. The infection most often occurs subacutely and becomes chronic.
Urogenital chlamydia is characterized by a long course, a tendency to relapse and nonspecific clinical symptoms. The infection primarily affects the urethra and cervix. Characteristic is the ascending path of spread of the pathological process, the development of cicatricial processes in the pelvic organs.
In the absence of timely treatment, complications develop, associated primarily with impaired reproductive function (infertility, development of ectopic pregnancy), and leading to the emergence of chronic inflammatory diseases of many organs and systems: Reiter's disease (combines arthritis, urethritis, conjunctivitis), acute perihepatitis, erythema nodosum . Chlamydial infection leads to the development of cervical dysplasia (precancerous condition). During pregnancy, it leads to miscarriage, intrauterine infection of the fetus, the birth of low birth weight babies, and death of the fetus and newborn.
Genital herpes
The causative agent is the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV type 1 affects mainly the skin, HSV type 2 affects the genitals. Both types can cause genital herpes. The incubation period ranges from 3 to 14 days. A typical clinical picture of acute or exacerbation of chronic herpes is that blistering rashes appear against the background of itching of the skin or mucous membrane. The appearance of blisters is accompanied by swelling and pain, and general malaise. After the acute process has stopped, the virus remains latent in the body for a long time. Exacerbation of the disease occurs at different intervals: once every few years or monthly. Exacerbations are provoked by stress, hypothermia, menstruation, and other concomitant diseases.
During pregnancy, the first episode of infection is most dangerous.
Papillomatous infection
The causative agent is the human papillomavirus. It is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. The prevalence is 20-60% depending on the age group. The vast majority of the 150 known types of HPV do not cause pathology in humans. However, 15 types are highly oncogenic and can cause cancer. To date, the etiological role of high-oncology risk HPV has been proven for cervical cancer (>99%), rectal (84.2%), and vaginal (70%). Main route of transmission: sexual, contact. Barrier methods of contraception do not provide adequate protection due to the possibility of transmitting the virus through skin contact. HPV infection is highly contagious: in most young women, primary infection occurs within the first 2 years after the onset of sexual activity.
Typical clinical manifestations of genital HPV infection with low cancer risk are papillomas and genital condylomas. These formations can reach large sizes, but do not become malignant. The clinical manifestation of high-risk HPV infection is the development of cervical dysplasia.
The main way of prevention is vaccination.
When the first signs of the disease appear, you should contact a urologist or gynecologist at your local clinic. You can also go to a skin and venereal disease clinic, where you can be examined and treated anonymously.
It is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. One sexual partner, reliable methods of contraception, screening for STIs before sexual activity, planning pregnancy - these simple methods will help you.
The information material was prepared by:Elena Fedorovna, head of the 4th antenatal clinic, Labetskaya